Suture needle package



Oct. 26, 1954 w. GROVER 2,692,676

SUTURE NEEDLE PACKAGE Filed March 51. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 INVENTORP401 M 6/?0 VFA,

ATTORN EY Oct. 26, 1954 P. w. GROVER SUTURE NEEDLE PACKAGE 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 31, 1952 INVENTOR M GROVE 7,

ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 26, 1954 SUTURE NEEDLE PACKAGE Paul W. Grover,Bay Shore, N. Y., assignor to Davis & Geek, Incorporated, Danbury, Cnn.,a corporation of New York Application March 31, 1952, Serial No. 279,589

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to a composite package containing surgicalsuture-threaded needles, that is, surgeons needles already containing alength of surgical suture, so as to make unnecessary the delay incidentto threading a needle by the nurse or surgeon.

The principal object of the invention is to provide the surgeon with aconvenient package of threaded needles, each carrying its own length ofsuture material, each needle-suture combination lying in an orderlyarrangement without entanglement, yet which may be readily withdrawnwithout disturbing the remainder of the supply.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a combinationpackage which is cheap to manufacture, may be readily assembled andwhich can be sterilized and maintained sterile until used.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceedshaving reference to the accompanying drawings in which: i

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the envelope portion of the package beforefolding,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the needle-suture holder,

Fig. 3 is a view showing the needle-suture holder being inserted intothe envelope,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the combination package showing the manner inwhich the top tab of the holder is available for withdrawing the holder,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the top of the package with the top flapfolded down, and

Fig. 6 is a sectional enlarged view along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5,

Fig. '7 is a perspective view showing an alternative method of formingthe offsets,

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the partly folded bottom of theholder.

To this end the invention contemplates a holder carrying suture-threadedneedles Within an envelope, the holder having one or more offsets. Theneedles which may be point up or point down, as well as the sutures, areheld by at least one ofiset. Each offset is slitted at the proper placein order that the needle or suture may be firmly held in position.

The invention also contemplates the provision of a bottom flap on theholder of an extent which will permit turned back ends of the sutures tobe pinched between an offset and the flap to hold the sutures againstaccidental displacement.

Provision may also be made for an offset or gusset at the bottom of theholder flap so that upon folding of the holder it will at least partial-1y collapse and additionally grip the sutures.

This invention may also include a relatively small secondary flap in theneedle holder to facilitate the holder removal.

The invention further contemplates the novel construction, arrangementand combination of parts more fully shown in the drawings.

Referring now with particularity to the embodiments illustrated, thereis shown at l the main body of the holder made of an elongated strip ofpaper, cardboard, plastic or other suitable material, provided with aplurality of offsets 2 which may merely be folds in the strip material.Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 7, the offset may be a separate piece ofmaterial as at 3, suitably secured to the main body I. Both forms willbe referred to hereinafter as offsets.

Held within the offsets are a series of needles 4, each of which carriesits own surgical suture 5, preferably though not necessarily of a doublelength as shown. The length of suture also extends through at least oneoffset so as to be secured to the holder in substantial parallelism withthe rest and in a manner to minimize entanglement. It is preferred thatthe length of a suture be greater than the efiective length of theholder as shown in Fig. 8. There, it will be observed, the lowermostoffset is slightly larger than the others and forms a gussetedconnection between the main body I of the holder and a bottom flap 6.When this flap 6 is folded upwardly it not only tends to collapse thelower offset 2 so as to make it lie in substantial parallelism with thebody of the holder, but it pinches the end portion of the suture andholds it against accidental withdrawal. This desirable action isenhanced when the length of the bottom flap 6 is greater than thedistance between the bottom of the holder and the first offset up fromthe bottom. Thus, in the folding operation and in inserting the holderinto the envelope, the bottom flap lies against the top of the secondoffset and also holds the end portion of the suture therebetween.

As shown it is preferred to arrange the needles in reversed position,that is, with the points down so as to minimize pricking the fingers orgloves of the surgeon or nurse when removing the needles.

The holder body I is also provided with a top tab 1, having a secondaryflap I2, the purpose of which will be described hereafter.

The envelope part of the package is shown in detail in Fig. 1 to consistof a sheet of material 8 folded to form side flaps 9, a bottom flap Illand a top flap ll. One of the side flaps is gummed in the usual manneras is the bottom flap, so that upon folding, an elongated enveloperesults.

When the holder is inserted into the envelope as in Fig. 4, the top tab1 of the former underlies the top of flap 9 of the envelope while thesecondary tab l2 normally occupies the slot [2a. in flap 9 of theenvelope and makes possible the ready withdrawal of the holder.

The top flap ll of the envelope is provided with an area of adhesiveintermediate the length of the flap and at a distance from the top edgeof the body greater than the extent of the holder secondary tab l2, theextreme end portion 13 of the envelope flap ll being clear of adhesive.Thus, when the top flap is folded down and adhered to the body, theextreme end portion of the former may be grasped and the flap pulledupwardly to make the holder secondary tab 42 available to withdraw theholder to an extent to make the needles accessible.

The entire package with its contained needles and suture material maybesuitably sterilized and will remain so until opened or used.

Obviously, the needles may be of the same or different sizes and thesutures of the same or different gauge in character as desired.

The package thus provides the surgeon or nurse with a series of needlesalready threaded with a length of suture material all in a sterilecondition, and the threaded needles may be readily and quickly withdrawnwithout entang'ling the remaining sutures.

While the invention has been described with particular reference tospecific embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notto be limited thereto but is to be construed broadly and restricted onlyby the scope of the claims.

'I claim:

1. A composite needle and suture package including a needle and sutureholder comprising an elongated strip of material having a plurality ofoffsets thereon, a plurality of needles threaded with sutures mounted onsaid holder by means of said offsets, said needles and said suturesbeing held in general parallelism throughout substantially their entirelength by said offsets, both needles and sutures penetrating the same,an envelope enclosin the holder, said envelope being provided with a topflap overlying the main body of the envelope, a slot in the upper edgeof the side of said envelope opposite said flap, 2. tab on said holderlying in said slot, said holder being provided with a bottom flap at thebottom thereof, with an offset immediately adjacent thereto, the suturespenetrating said offset, whereby when the bottom flap is folded overagainst the main body of the holder, said oifse't lies in substantialparallelism therewith and secures the sutures against accidentalwithdrawal.

2. A composite needle and suture package including a needle and sutureholder comprising an elongated strip of material having a plurality ofoffsets thereon, a .plurality of needles threaded with sutures mountedon said holder by means of said offsets, said needles and said suturesbeing held in general parallelism throughout substantially their entirelength by said offsets, both needles and sutures penetrating the same,an envelope enclosing the holder, said envelope being provided with atop flap overlying the main body of the envelope, a downwardly foldedtab on said holder overlying the top edge of the main body of theenvelope and positioned between said flap and said upper edge of theenvelope, said holder being provided with a bottom flap at the bottomthereof, with "an oifse't immediately adjacent thereto forming agusseted lower end,"the sutures penetrating said ofiset or gusset,whereby when the bottom ila'p is folded over against the main body ofthe holder, said offset or gusset lies in substantial parallelismtherewith and secures the sutures against accidental withdrawal by apinching action.

Great Britain Feb. 8. 1884

